Casablanca’s Court of Appeal has postponed hearings in the high-profile “Escobar of the Sahara” case to December 24, while the session held on Friday continued to address preliminary defense motions.
The defendants are charged with forgery of official documents, engaging in agreements for drug possession, trafficking, transportation, exportation, attempted exportation, fraud, attempted fraud, and abuse of power.
Among other accused are notable figures, including former Wydad Casablanca (WAC) president and Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM) leader, Said Naciri, and former Eastern Regional Council president and PAM official Abdenabi Bioui. These individuals, with 21 others, were ordered into custody following an investigation initiated by the public prosecutor in December 2022. Two other suspects were released on bail.
The case revolves around suspected links to Ahmed Ben Ibrahim, known as “The Escobar of the Sahara” or “The Malian,” a notorious drug lord. A significant number of those charged include politicians, sports officials, law enforcement personnel, notaries, and even a fashion designer.
This case highlights Morocco’s swift action against corruption, including high-society members.
The investigation originated in August following a Jeune Afrique article that exposed connections between the accused and the “Malian Drug Baron.” Ahmed Ben Ibrahim, arrested at Casablanca airport in 2019, is serving a 10-year sentence in El Jadida prison.
Known as one of the Sahel-Sahara region’s most prominent drug lords, The Malian managed an extensive network of drug trafficking and money laundering, with operations spanning Bolivia, Egypt, Libya, Algeria, Mali, and Niger. His criminal enterprise included real estate holdings across these territories.